Switching device



June 4, 1940. H. M. BAscoM 2,203,321

SWITCHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1939 /N VEN TOR By HM BASCOM ATTORNEY Patented June 4, 1940 UNHEDA STATES 2,203,321 swrrcniNG DEVICE Henry M.\Bascom, Brooklyn, N. Y.; ns'signor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a .corporation of New .York

Application September 27, 1939, Serial No. 296,732 7 Claims. (Cl. 20o-8'!)` This invention relates to switching devices and particularly to devices for controlling electrical connections.

An object is to simplify such devices and to increase the reliability of operation thereof in establishing of connections.

Heretofore circuit controlling devices have been used comprising an evacuated vessel containing circuit making contacts of magnetic material and a coil outside of said vessel for energizing said contacts to control electricai circuits, such as the one disclosed in the copending application of W. B. Ellwood,` Serial No. 198,629, filed November 29, 1938. Circuit controlling devicesl have also been provided in which contact elements are placed one above the other and a chamber is formed between them in which comminuted material is placedto partly ll the gap between the contact elements.V This material is responsive to the excitation of a surrounding coil when energized for bridging the gap to close an electrical connection between the contact elements. A device of this kind is disclosed in my Patent 1,868,559 of July 26, 1932.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a circuit controlling device comprising a gas-tight vessel in which two flexible reeds of magnetic material are inserted. These reeds are provided with contact elements arranged to form a partially enclosed chamber, a portion of which holds a comminuted magnetic material. A coil is provided outside of the vessel for exing said reeds toward each other to reduce the chamber and to cause said magnetic material to bridge the contact elements to establish an electrical connection between the reeds when the coil is energized. The vessel may contain an inert gas or may be evacuated to prevent corrosion of the contact elements. One of the advantages of this invention over ythe prior art is that the contact making and contact breaking operations are extremely quick-and reliable. That is, in the making of a connection the air-gap between the contacts is reduced by the flexing of the reeds toward each other and thus permits the comminuted material to quickly form a bridging connection and similarly-in the opening of a connection the air-gap is increased by the flexing of the reeds away from each other and thus permits the bridging connection to be quickly broken and the comminuted material to readily settle at the bottom of the chamber.

Whilean air-tight vessel is the preferred container for the flexible reeds'it is evident that any container not air-tight may readily be used.

'I'he invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows an air-tight vessel partly in section showing contact elements and a coil surrounding it in section embodying the applicantl's 5 invention; and

Fig. 2 shows the construction of the contact making elements at the point where a connection between them may be made.

Referring now'to the drawing, i is an air-tight lo vessel that may be made from glass. At the left end of this vessel is a sealed-in terminal 2 to which is welded a flexible reed 3 of magnetic material.V At the other end of this vessel is a `sealed-in terminal 4 to which another reed E of 15 i magnetic material is welded. Surrounding this vessel is a coil 6 for the energizing of the contact making elements. In Fig. 2the point where the connection between the two reeds 3 and 5 is made is illustrated in an enlarged view partly 20 in. section to show the detailed construction thereof. To reed 3 is Welded a circular button l which may be of the same material and which may be gold-plated and ,to reed 5 is welded abutton 8 surrounded by a sleeve 8 forming a cup 25 in which a comminuted magnetic material IB is placed to partlyl fill this cup. This comminuted ,material may consist of Permalloy dust and the inside surface of the cup may be gold-plated.

The button 8 and sleeve 9 may consist of mag- 30 netic material. The button 1 normally extends into the cup but does not touch the comminuted material I0. v

The operation of the connection of this contacting device is as follows: When the coil energized, magnetic lines of -flux will cause the reeds 3 and 5 to be partially drawn towards-each other thus sinking the button 'l further into the cup to reduce the air-gap and the comminuted material will be drawn upwards a comparatively 40 short distance to quickly bridge the buttons l and 8 and form an electrical connection between the reeds l and 5. The vessel I may be evacuat;d or contain any suitable inert gas such as helium, argon or any other non-corrosive gas. 45

When the coil i is deenergized, the reeds 3 and 5 separate from each other to increase the airgap and the bridge formed by the comminuted material is quickly severed to. break the electrical connection between the reeds. Thus the accuracy and .speed with which the applicants contact making device functions depends on the fact that the comminuted material forms part of the electrical connection between the two reeds and that the reeds are exed toward each other Eis 35 so arranged that when said reeds are flexed towards each other to permit l the iiat contact to enter the cup-shaped sioningsaid reeds qotherto. reduce said minut'ed .material to comminuted material to when electrical connection is 'istantanee-andaway from each other when electrical is broken.

What-is claimed is: A

1. In a circuit controlling device, a gas-tight vessel, two flexible reeds oi magnetic material in said vessel, contact elements on said reeds arranged to form a partially closed chamber', a comminuted magnetic material ,inv said chamber, and a coilv outside said vessel for;4 flexing said reeds towardsother to're'duce said chamber and for causingVv said comminu material to bridge the contactvvelementstoy lish an electricalconn p tion between said ree'ds when said coil is energized.

2. In a circuit controlling device, a gas-tight vessel, two resilientfreeds of magnetic material in said vessel. a-contactelement onl one reed and a. contact element onfthe otherl reeds, said elements being so shaped and-related to each other as to form a compartment but with a gap between the contact elements, a comminuted magnetic material in a portion of said compartment, and a coil outside of reeds to reduce said gap and ioracausingv said bridge said contacteiements and establish an electrical circuit across said reeds when said coil is energized.

3.'In a circuit controlling device, a gas-tight vessel, two flexible reeds of magnetic material secured in said vessel, a ilat contact at the free end of one reed, a cup-shaped contact at the tree end oi the other reed, Permalioy dust in saidcupshaped contact, a coil outside said vesselfsaid reeds, ilat contact and cup-shaped contact coil is energized said and the Permalloy dust to establish an electrical circuit between the reeds by bridging the between the fiat contacts of the culi-shaped` tact. y

4. In a circuit ontrolling device, a gas-tight vessel, two ilexible reeds of magnetic material in said vessel, a ilat contact on one reed and a cupshaped contact on the other` reed, a comminuted magnetic material in said cup-shaped contact, a coil for ilexing said reeds to move said contacts in closer proximity to each other and tor magav portion '0I tact being partially :contact but not in with, Permalloy. dust in said cup-shaped contact v not inelectrical l bridges between said vessel for iiexing saidA v container, l contact elements netizing said comminuted material to form a bridge actos said contacts to establish an electrical connection between said reeds when said coil is energized.

5. In a circuit controlling device, a gas-tight vessel, an inert gas in said vessel, two iiexible reeds of pure iron in said vessel, a gold-plated ilat contact on one reed and a gold-plated cupshaped contact on the other reed, said fiat coninserted in said cup-shaped electrical connection thereconnection with said ilat contact, a coil outside said vessel for energizing said reeds, the contacts and the Permalloy dust to cause said reeds to ilex towards each other without having the contacts engaging each other and to cause said Permalloy dust to form connecting the contacts for the establishing oi' electrical current closing connections between said reeds.

6. In a circuit controlling device, a housing vessel, two ilexibie reeds of non-magnetic mate- Vrial in said vessel, contact elements on said reeds arranged to form a partially closed chamber, a comminuted magnetic material in a portion oi said chamber and a coil outside the flexing `said reeds towards I said chamber and for causing said comminuted material to bridge lish an electrical connection between said reeds when said coil is energized.

'1. In-acircuitcontrolling device, a container, two ilexiblejreedsof magnetic material in said on said reeds arranged'tov form a partially9 closedchamber. a comminuted material in a portion o! said chamber and a coil outside said container for tenchamber to cause said cornquickly bridge the contact an electrical connection besaid coil is energized and quickly when the ts tjestabush when to cause said fridge to open Icoil is` `deenergized by having the reeds ilexed under their own tension away from each other andV cause the comminuted material to quickly settle at the bottom of the chamber. e

l l HENRY M. BASCO vessel for' each other to reduce the contact-elements to estab- 

